Rain Mixed With Snow Melt Creates Dangerous Flows

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DENVER (CBS4) – The pounding rain on Monday morning made for slick roads in the metro area.

Police in Denver say standing water was likely the cause of a nasty crash near Denver International Airport in the morning. A car slid off the road and took out a light pole near the old toll plaza.

In the mountains, it’s a whole different story. People in the high country woke up to snow. The snow was slowing traffic at the Eisenhower Tunnel. Those living above 10,000 feet got at least a couple of inches.

The rapidly melting snowpack mixed with Monday’s rain is creating dangerous conditions on the waterways. Clear Creek continues to rise. The Platte River was also gushing through Confluence Park. Officials say it’s a good idea to stay away from high water in Confluence Park — the bike paths and white water park are highly dangerous.

Cherry Creek has also been on the rise and bike and walking paths are getting affected. According to the U.S. Geological Survey, water flow is measured in cubic feet per second and Cherry Creek usually flows around 15 to 20 cubic feet per second. Monday’s storm shot it up over 1,000 cubic feet per second.

Also, the past week the creek has been flowing at a depth of 3.5 feet. Monday it shot up to over 7 feet deep.

Experts say this is not that unusual for a storm like Monday’s. The creek shoots up so quick because of all the water from the streets that feed into Cherry Creek. They also say even though it may look fun, the levels should be a big warning to stay away.